


One Does Not Simply Walk Into Atlantis

by tielan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 19:03:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11996052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: Elizabeth smiled. “That’s Rodney’s paranoia talking. And,” she admitted, “some experience. We’ve only been ‘walking through Gates’ for the last seven years, and in that time there’s been a lot of aliens try to take over Earth. We’re not used to people who want to interact in a spirit of adventure and exploration.”





	One Does Not Simply Walk Into Atlantis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TwoMenAndAGuava (drakkynfyre47)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drakkynfyre47/gifts).



_One does not simply walk into Atlantis,_ was a refrain that Teyla heard frequently muttered that first day as the Earthers clustered in the Hall of Greeting, their boxes and supplies being sorted through as they worked out who was to move on to what they persistently referred to as their ‘Alpha Site’, and got their people sorted out.

“Ah,” said Dr. Weir when Teyla inquired about it as they observed the chaos and complaining settle down somewhat. “It’s a line from a movie – originally a book. One of our stories.”

“I see. And a movie?”

“A moving picture – a recorded re-enactment of a performance of a story.” Dr. Weir - Elizabeth glanced over to where a number of boxes were being loaded up onto a floating trolley. “I’ll show you on my laptop when we have a chance.”

The personal computers the Earthers had brought were certainly intriguing – as witnessed by the various city scientists who had promptly congregated around the devices and begun sharing knowledge. And, in at least one case of the Earth scientists, gatekeeping it because of ‘classified information’ - a concern that was swiftly punctured as various people pointed out that this was another galaxy, they weren’t going home, and what was Rodney doing with classified information on an unsecured laptop, anyway?

“You are not concerned that I might steal your secrets to invade Earth?” Teyla inquired, judging her audience and allowing herself the sally.

Elizabeth smiled. “That’s Rodney’s paranoia talking. And,” she admitted, “some experience. We’ve only been ‘walking through Gates’ for the last seven years, and in that time there’s been a lot of aliens try to take over Earth. We’re not used to people who want to interact in a spirit of adventure and exploration.”

“While ‘going through the Stargate’ here presumes one goes in a spirit of adventure and exploration,” Teyla said, using the Earth expression, as Dr. Weir had used the Atlantis one. “It was not always so, of course. Our societies have stabilised in the last twenty years.”

“Yes. I hope you’ll tell me about these...Wraith sometime. And the others, of course.” Down on the floor, someone called Elizabeth’s name, an exasperated demand, as though the end of their tether had been reached. “Duty calls.”

She went down the stairs to arbitrate the dispute, leaving a space beside Teyla on the balcony railing which Ronon promptly filled.

“They talk a lot.”

“No worse than Satedans in cups.”

“At least sometime sooner or later we’ll be sober.”

“Say later rather than sooner.” Teyla glanced at the Satedan. “Have you yet attempted to retrieve your wife from their medical personnel?”

He snorted, his eyes tracking across the busy floor to where Melena and one of the Hoffan doctors were speaking animatedly with Earthers’ chief medical officer. “Be lucky if she comes to bed tonight. Just gonna have to wait this one out.” He glanced over at her. “Their weapons are different.”

“They have lacked the crystal technology that we had access to, even under the Wraith.” She noted the stance of the military men around the room – both those newly arrived from Earth and those from the city. No trust, but then those of martial mindset always seemed to find it difficult. Hopefully, as with the Genii, the Earthers’ scientific spirit would prevail over the martial one.

“Do you think them a threat?”

He shrugged.

“Does Kel think them a threat?”

Ronon hesitated a fraction of a second before responding. “Who knows what Kel thinks these days?”

Not Teyla, although she could guess. Kel was a brilliant military mind born fifty years too late for his culture, and indoctrinated into a mindset that no longer belonged in the age of exploration that was just dawning on the galaxy. There were times when Teyla suspected the Satedan Council had sent him to Atlantis simply to see him out from their tents, somewhere where he was another’s problem.

That, unfortunately, made him the city’s problem.

Something for another day; Teyla had enough troubles at present, although most would be more easily solved with a little diplomacy.

 _Most_ , she thought as she watched a small group of Earther men detach themselves from the larger body and start up the stairs towards her, _not all._

She straightened as she noted the leader’s expression. Colonel Sumner was the most senior military officer on the Earther expedition team, and he had been displeased to find Atlantis already occupied – and, moreover, with military numbers easily equalling his own.

“Trouble on the way,” Ronon muttered.

“Yes,” she said mildly, as she pushed away from the balcony railing. “I see.”

“I got your back.”

Teyla flashed him a swift and brief smile. Whatever else was said of Ronon Dex, once his loyalty was earned, it took a lot to shake it.

Colonel Sumner’s expression seemed stern, as he strode up the stairs, and the man who followed on his heels looked equally grim. Behind them, another two followed, no less serious, but somehow with less intent to intimidate. And as Teyla turned to face them, she wondered at a man who might find it necessary to outnumber someone of whom he was asking a favour.

She was not about to allow him to think he might intimidate her.

Angling her steps so she would meet the group at the top of the stairs, Teyla was grateful for Ronon’s presence behind and beside her. She could not be crowded in, if that was Colonel Sumner’s intention. And perhaps she did the Colonel wrong by assuming he would use such tactics, but she doubted it. Her instincts were sometimes wrong but it was, in truth, rare.

“Colonel,” she said, smiling. “What seems to be the problem?”

“We’ve all been separated out from each other. Groups scattered around the city, without access to each other. This is unacceptable.

“It cannot be helped; there is no group of rooms large enough to encompass you all.” Teyla kept her voice gentle but firm. Even if there were, she would not assign them that way – it was not the manner in which things were done in the city. “Your people have been grouped together where possible – with at least five or six others in a cluster – but there is no block of living spaces large enough for you.”

“Makes it all a bit of a maze,” said the man who was presumably the Colonel’s second, his gaze was likewise hard and suspicious. “Harder to find things.”

“You’ll learn,” Ronon says lazily. “Like everyone else does.”

“Integration is the way of this city. We are at once of the people from whom we have issued, and of the city of the Ancestors – as you and the others of Earth will come to be, also.”

She thought the reproof was mild, but the Colonel’s eyes narrowed as though she’d spoken more harshly.

“We’re a long way from home with no way back, ma’am. You’ll have to excuse us for being concerned.”

“Colonel?” Dr. Weir stood on the landing halfway up. “I believe you are assigned to the next group of rooms? Sergeant Bates, you’ve been grouped in with the team on the way past the medical centre – they’re just organising the refrigeration requirements for the medicines we brought.”

The two men gave her curt nods before leaving, and after a moment’s hesitation, the third man followed them down the stairs, although not before giving her an apologetic smile. Lieutenant Forge, or some such similar name, Teyla recalled. He’d seemed friendly enough, although perhaps a little shy compared with others.

The last man of the quartet surveyed the Hall of Greeting, seemed to decide there was no need of him down there among the others, and climbed the last few steps to the floor of the Ring Technica.

“Major Sheppard.”

“Ms. Emmagan.” He gave her an easy smile before turning it on Ronon. “Mr. Dex.”

“Specialist,” Ronon said in tones that were more growl than vocality.

Teyla would have given him a stern look if she’d dared. Major Sheppard was being friendly – which was more than his superior had deigned. As it was, she asked, “And what can I help you with?”

“Oh, nothing,” he said lightly. “I just wanted to see the Gateroom – sorry, the Hall of Greeting – from up here. We don’t have as good a view of the Stargate – the Ring – back home. And I’m new to all this.”

“You’re all new to the city.”

“There’s new, and then there’s _new_.” Major Sheppard shrugged. “I’m _newer_ to the Stargate project than most.”

Teyla was about to ask him for an explanation when a voice rang out across the room. “Ronon!”

Apparently the refrigeration requirements of the medicines had been worked out, and Melena was going with the medical staff.

“You make a useful packhorse,” Teyla reminded him sweetly.

His response was a huff before he sauntered down the stairs and across the Hall of Greeting to where the medical personnel of Earth and the city were helping shift the equipment which had come through with them.

“Girlfriend or wife?”

It took Teyla a moment to realise she was being addressed. “His wife,” she said with a laugh. “There are a number of permanent relationships through the city; for those who are stationed here long-term, it is better that they bring their loved ones with them.”

Sheppard turned to her, astonished. “You’ve got children around here?”

“A small group of families have children, yes.” Teyla stared at him. “Why, what does your culture do with your children?”

“They stay at home while their parents go to work.”

“Even infants? Babes hardly weaned?”

“They stay with their mothers. Mostly,” he amended. “I guess it’s different when you live and work all in the same place. We’re used to a clear divide between work life and home life. I guess that’s going to change some now that we’re in Atlantis.” His expression turned rueful. “Like a lot of things.”

“Such as living in far-flung quarters?”

She’d judged him aright. He grinned, a swift flash of charm. “And learning to integrate into the city. Making friends.”

“Like now?”

“Like now.” Sheppard smiled, almost self-satisfied. “It’s not as painful as Sumner thinks. They’re just...used to doing things differently.”

“They?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m actually pretty new to all this. A month ago, I didn’t even know about the Stargate. Now...” He glances up at the Hall of Greeting. “Now I’m in another galaxy entirely, in a city that’s legend on Earth, and which nobody was really sure still existed, making friends.”

Teyla tilted her head at him. “One does not simply walk into Atlantis.”

Sheppard laughed. “Maybe not ‘simply’.”


End file.
